EDITORIAL
MENTORSHIP

Mentorship Recipient
Davey

Recipient Reflection: 
Mark Gilson

On "Davey" by Mark Gilson

by ​​Nardine Taleb

When I read Mark’s story “Davey,” it hit a nerve. Not only is it set in Cleveland and featuring the
beautiful Lake Erie, I felt that I was also pulled by the writing, the imagery, and the symbolism.
And then, of course, this line, referring to the young boy unaware of a storm: “Perhaps he never
saw the approaching wave and assumed the shouting and running was all just the continued
madness of grownups in a world at war.” Mark skillfully uses images and language to carry us
through the story, all the way to its heartbreaking end.

Specifically for me, this story was about water. Water that destroys. Water that mothers. Water
that renews. In my own writing, I use water as a sign of purity, usually something my characters
use to wash themselves before prayer. Water can be used in so many ways and mean many
things. Water can separate us (oceans); water can bring us together (beaches). In this story,
Davey is separated by his father, an ocean away, who is fighting in the war. When Davey
disappears, it is Lake Erie who takes him.

I met Mark over Zoom and we talked about Cleveland and the way it has changed over the years.
I hope readers can feel close to this story because of its intimacy. Our world is full of chaos and
also has its moments of calm. This story reminded me that fiction can help us reflect on both.

Nardine Taleb is an Egyptian-American writer and speech therapist. Her writing has appeared in Rattle, The Commuter, Hobart, Mizna, The Offing, and elsewhere.

Visit her on twitter: @nardineta.